Love By Design (9 page)

“Um, sure.”

With robotic like movements he reached over for a clean towel. He must have regained his senses because instead of handing it over, he started to pat at her bottom.
Oh, but that felt naughty.

“Give me that.” She slapped his hand away and grabbed the towel.

“Just trying to help.”

“Yeah, help yourself cop a feel.”

“Already copped several.”

She turned her face from him so he couldn’t see her blush. “This can’t happen again.”

“Why not, luv?”

“We work together for one. And making out on set isn’t right.”

“We call it pashing back home. See, we can say it was a cultural exchange.”

“You mean fluid exchange?” she grimaced.

“Ouch. So cold for what we just shared.”

His smile mocking but his touch gentle, Russ drew her into his arms. As he bent his head to kiss her again she placed her hand on his chest in a stopping motion, his lips inches from hers. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

He straightened and laughed. “That I do. You make a man forget himself.” He opened the door but turned his head before leaving, his golden brown hair flipped with the movement leaving a couple of strands in front of his eyes. A crooked grin appeared on his face. “See you tomorrow, cupcake.”

Victoria watched him swagger down the hallway like they just had wild sex instead of a kiss. One long-wet-thrilling-five-minute kiss. Or pashing as he called it.

No matter the name, it was unprofessional to be groping in a homeowner’s bathroom. Worse, she’d lost control of the situation and of herself. And she still didn’t know where he was going.

Chapter 12

T
he cocky smile on his face faded into a deep frown as he turned his head away and strode down the hallway. What the hell had just happened? Okay, he knew what happened, but how? Russ wasn’t kidding when he told her she could make a man forget himself. One minute he was washing up, feeling guilty as all hell to be leaving them in a fix and the next moment he had Victoria propped up on the bathroom counter kissing her like he wanted to swallow her whole.

Real smooth, Russ
. Though she didn’t seem to mind. In fact she gave as good as she got. And her anger at him seemed to dissipate with each stroke of his tongue. The smile returned to his face.

Man, she was a handful. Was she really that mad over him cutting out? The production schedule had shown filming ending at 6:30. He’d thought he’d be in the clear to leave for his 8:30 dance slot for Thunder Down Under. Though filming had ended on time, he had yet to start painting the wall unit. Stephen didn’t make a big deal out of it. Why should Victoria? For a director, Stephen was a wuss. Deep down Russ knew that, even took advantage of it. He wasn’t asked for an explanation so he didn’t offer one.

Victoria had jumped to her own conclusions. So was she mad because he was cutting out or for her assumed reason behind it? Her voice indicated jealousy. So did her eyes, which darkened like a storm off the coast, complete with sparks of lightning. God, she was adorable when she was mad. He couldn’t help but kiss her, if only to shut her up.

He didn’t mean to be so rough when he picked her up. With his body pumping with desire he forgot she weighed next to nothing. But that didn’t stop the pint-sized vixen from kissing like a six-foot Amazon ready to order him to her lair. He would’ve gladly obeyed. With her lips sweetened by strawberry lip gloss, Russ was anxious to discover what the rest of her tasted like.

Unfortunately, by tomorrow she would have her guard back up. She already informed him in that snooty, holier-than-thou tone that it wouldn’t happen again. But with them with coming together like two lust filled teenagers at a make-out party, who was she kidding?

A more troubling question nagged at him. Why would he rather stay put and prod Victoria into another fit than race off to strip for hundreds of screaming, willing women? Some questions were better left unanswered.

***

R
uss waited by the backstage door for the rest of the guys to finish dressing. Even though he needed a night on the town with his mates to get his mind off Victoria, he wondered what time she clocked out. Was she still there? Guilt twisted in his gut. Brady left the dressing room to wait by the exit.

“Some show tonight, eh?”

Russ shrugged. One show was just like the other. Same music. Same routines. Even the faces in the audience seemed the same. It was exhausting, not thrilling like he’d imagine. Russ mentally shook off the feeling. His testosterone levels must be dangerously low. “Brady, when do you think you’re going to find Jamie’s replacement?”

“Tell you the truth, I haven’t been looking.”

“Damn it, I told you this was just temporary.”

“What’s the matter, mate? This is easy money and the women. We’ve got it made.”

“My heart is not in it.”

“Or it’s with that sheila?”

“Victoria?”

Brady shook his head. “She is a sweet piece of American pie.”

“You’ve seen the show?” Russ’s brows knotted in confusion. He couldn’t quite picture Brady having HGTV on his favorites list.

“Yeah, in a moment of weakness. I was going out with this chick who was in to all those makeover shows.”

“And?”

“I forget the name of the show, but we used to argue over which house a couple should pick, a couple of days later a commercial came on showing these cozy couples doing the exact same thing. That’s when I realized I was being sucked in.”

Russ laughed. “I’m not being sucked in. I’m doing you a favor but it’s not going to help my creditability with the label ‘stripper.’”

“Russ, you’ve won awards for design.”

“Doesn’t mean squat over here.”

The rest of the guys milled out of the back room and they filed out into the alley. A flock of groupies was waiting and fluttered about the men as they left the building. Some wanted autographs, others a quick photo, and a brazen few offered lap dances. A tall, leggy blonde approached Russ as he tried to escape the mob.

“I liked what I saw.” She was supermodel beautiful and obviously looking for a good time.

“Um, thanks.”

“A man of few words. I like that.”

Normally Russ would be happy with a woman who valued that trait in a man. He certainly did so in a woman. After pretty and uncomplicated, that is. Victoria was plenty pretty but complicated as a computer manual written in Spanish. And she was opinionated and mouthy like a political radio host.

So why wasn’t he throwing on the charm with the lovely lady right in front of him? Because he didn’t need too. It was just too easy.

“My place?”

“Sorry, luv. I have a prior engagement.”

The blonde shrugged her shoulders and set her sights on Brady.

Brady gave him a disapproving look. Russ didn’t care if his mate thought he was whipped. He knew better. If Russ went home with the groupie he’d prove Victoria right that a woman kept him from the set. And he couldn’t have Victoria being right. That’s all there was to it.

A cab pulled up to the curb, Russ climbed in and gave the address for the Johnson place out in Staten Island instead of the apartment he shared with four of his co-workers. He’d finish his project tonight so Victoria had nothing to complain about. One of the crewmembers should be there to guard the house in case the homeowners tried to sneak back in to take a peek before the reveal.

The cab pulled up to the house. The lights were on so he paid the cabbie and tried the door. Unlocked. He opened the door and closed it behind him gently so as not to wake anyone who’d stayed behind.

He heard Victoria’s laugh. From what he knew of her it was a rare occurrence. He knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop, but he wanted to know what made her laugh. And if she said anything about him, it would be a bonus. Russ crept up to the back of the house where the family room was and realized it was a one-sided conversation. She must be on the phone with Ava, but then Victoria said the words that sent a stab of unexpected jealousy to his heart.

She missed who?

Chapter 13

V
ictoria lounged on the comfy white sofa. Covered in automobile grade vinyl, it was custom made for the Johnson’s living room. She almost got lost in the overstuffed pillows strewn across the back. She stared up at the chrome track lighting dimmed to a soft glow as she spoke to Neil on her cell phone. Her lifeline to sanity.

She was relieved to hear his mother was doing well, but Victoria still held back on a thoughtless question of his return.

“I miss you.”

“I’d miss you too, sweet ums, if it weren’t for my mother’s nurse.”

“Cute?”

“Delicious. Having thoughts of feigning sickness.”

Victoria laughed. “Naughty, naughty Neil, get back in bed, it’s time for your bath.”

“Exactly! And how is it going with the Aussie?”

“He’s impossible.”

“Carl said he slapped you right on the ass. I didn’t believe him.”

“Carl has a big mouth.”

“So it’s true? And the Aussie still lives?”

“He’s not afraid of me.”

“I wish I was there to see THAT.”

“If you were here, then he wouldn’t be and I wouldn’t have to put up with him.” Victoria needed to confide in someone. Ava would call her a drama queen. Neil understood, he was a drama queen trainee, though in his defense it was part of his act, that it was expected of a gay, male designer. Should she dump all this on him? His mother was doing better so he could handle a little drama. Maybe it would even take his mind off his worries if only for a moment. “Russ hated the paint color, he abandoned us with a ton of work still to be done, and he called me cupcake, Vic, Vicki, and Tori. You know how much I hate nicknames,” she rushed out.

“Cupcake?”

Figures he’d pick up on that. “It’s a long story.”

“Victoriaaaaaa, there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“He kissed me.”

“OMG, OMG. Where? When?”

“Today. In the bathroom.”

“The homeowner’s bathroom?”

“Umm … yeah.”

Neil squealed and she heard him slapped his hand against something. “Scandalous!”

Yes, it was
. Victoria knew he meant professionally, but she was thinking about the actual kiss. There must be countries in the world where it meant they were married.

“Andddd?”

“And what?”

“Good? Bad?”

Good didn’t begin to describe Russ’s lips on hers.

Mind blowing? Close.

Rocked her world? Closer.

Ruined her for all other men? Bingo.

“Victoria?”

“Good.”

“As in you want to jump his bones?”

“Jump him? Really, you’re as bad as Ava—” A floorboard creaked. Neil went to say something but she shushed him. The vinyl made a crinkling noise as she tried to sit up. Instead she slid off the couch, her butt hitting the floor with a thud.

“What’s the matter?”

“I think someone is in the house.”

“Maybe, it’s—”

“Shhhh!” The floorboard creaked again. Only then did she regret volunteering to work late. Did she remember to check the lock after the last of the crew left? Damn it, she didn’t think so. Maybe the house was haunted.
Please, please let the house be haunted.

“Who’s there?” What kind of stupid ass question was that? As if a robber or worse would announce himself. Where was that nail gun? Another creak, this time closer, and she saw a figure outside the darken archway leading into the living room. She was just about to let out a scream that would rival any made-for-Halloween movie when she heard the familiar Aussie drawl.

“I’m home, cupcake.” He entered the room with his hands up.

Her body froze like a statue as if he was a bear she stumbled upon in the woods. Or was the rule to drop to the ground, curl into a ball, and try not to cry? She was a city girl for crying out loud. What did she know about taming wild animals or wild handsome Aussies? Well, she knew one thing: never stare directly into their eyes. But that is exactly what she did.

“Victoria! Is everything okay?” The question spouted from the cell phone. Remembering Neil, she slowly lifted the phone to her mouth like any sudden movement would cause Russ to pounce. She whispered even though he was close enough to hear anyway. “It’s him. Gotta go.”

“No, wait! Put it on speaker so—”

Neil’s frantic request was cut short as she snapped the phone shut. She believed a good defense was a good offense. “What are you doing back here?”

“Me? What are you still doing here?”

“I asked first.”

Russ laughed and dropped his hands to his side. “Had some unfinished business.”